Apple Releases tvOS 16.6

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Apple today released tvOS 16.6, the sixth notable update to the tvOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD, tvOS 16.6 comes over a month after the launch of tvOS 16.5.

apple tv halloween
tvOS 16.6 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌ by going to System > Software Update. If you have automatic software updates turned on, you will be upgraded to tvOS 16.6 automatically.

There were no new tvOS 16 features discovered in the tvOS 16.6 update during the beta testing process, and it appears to focus on bug fixes and security improvements much like iOS 16.6, watchOS 9.6, and macOS Ventura 13.5. A HomePod software version 16.6 has also been released.

Apple's notes for the tvOS 16.6 update can be found in the tvOS support document.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

Top Rated Comments

TigerNike23 Avatar
TigerNike23
10 months ago
Installed on 2 2017 4Ks and one HD model. No changes here.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Will Co Avatar
Will Co
10 months ago

I've had the same issues. I've also tried to add a pair of home pod minis and had no luck at all.
Sadly, no apparent improvement. Even after upgrading tvOS is still getting HDMI-CEC wrong. There might be a slight improvement in that ATV now seems to be waking up more reliably. But overall still ropey.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Burger Thing Avatar
Burger Thing
10 months ago
I hope it will fix some bugs related to Thread connectivity in Homekit. Whenever my Apple TV is the controlling hub for my Home, all accessories which I have recently updated to Matter and are connected via Thread (Eve Motion sensors, Nanoleaf Light Strip, Power Switch), will fail to respond eventually. When a Homepod is the controlling Hub, there are no issues. Homekit is still a pain.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benoit79 Avatar
benoit79
10 months ago

At one point I was wondering if they were getting fried just to clear out old inventory. Stupid, I know, but how many dangerous updates did we have for them? Was it 2?
Apple hasn't release one single good update for the HomePods since September 2022. So 16.6 is the seventh update with which I have issues. The last time my HomePods were working was on OS 15.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Will Co Avatar
Will Co
10 months ago
About the time of the previous tvOS release, 16.5, HDMI-CEC stopped working on my home theatre setup and I'm convinced it's the Apple TV. Take that out of the circuit and all is well. With it in circuit, the AVR sometimes doesn't wake up with everything else, sometimes it's Atmos capability isn't recognised. Also sometimes ATV doesn't wake from standby with the TV. Perfectly fine before. Hopefully this bug fix clears the problem. Nothing about it in the support document, though.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boswald Avatar
boswald
10 months ago
Please don’t fry my HomePods… Please don’t fry my HomePods…
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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